The word compassion is derived from the Latin words "pati" and "cum," which together means, "to suffer with." Compassion ask us to go where it hurts, to enter places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being a human being. When we look at compassion this way, it becomes clear that something more is involved than a general kindness or tenderheartedness. It is not surprising that compassion, understood as suffering with, often evokes in us a deep resistance and even protest. -Henry Nouwen
Expectations: This is your trip and you put into what you get out of it We definitely want to build our team before we go to Nicaragua Talked about our roles as leaders in planning, preparing and leading the trip. We also introduced Rosie, our fantastic learning partner.
Future meetings will be fun but also purposeful so that we can best prepare for the trip If you have any ideas for meetings, fundraising, would like to step up and take something on, we want you all to feel you can do that
Plan for meetings every other week next semester. We'll be in touch about that.The trip/Fundraising:
You'll need to get a passport if you don't have one. If you don't have one, here's the website: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html Talked about a few of the projects we may be doing in Nicaragua...working in the fields and then taking the food and serving it to Nicaraguan school children; playing with children; visiting an Orphanage; other projects are in the process of being confirmed (trip price will be changing as projects and resources are confirmed...we set the max amount of money so it can only decrease from there)
We have a place to stay in Northern VA with Rosie's friends the night before we leave and the night we get back We'll be doing fundraising next semester for the trip and for the cause Individual and group fundraising We'll give you lists of things you can collect over winter break for Nicaragua. We're planning on taking a lot of donations down there so look for the things you can donate over Thanksgiving, in addition to old suitcases. We'll be talking more in depth about donations next meeting. Do you have any fundraising ideas? Feel free to share!Our next meeting will be on Sunday, December 2nd at 2:00pm in the Airport Lounge (APL). Please go ahead and put this in your calendar and let me or Shari know if you can't make it.
Here's the website about recommended immunizations for Nicaragua from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationNicaragua.aspx There was a question about immunizations so you can check out the website and/or talk to your doctor about what they recommend.
